Articulation means for artificial dentures



Jan. 26, 1943.

M. G. WINTREBERT ARTICULATION MEANS FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Filed Dec. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1943- M. G. WINTREBERT ,0

ARTICULATION MEANS FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Filed Dec. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q INVENTDKL' I IWAPLR'QE GEM \A/IN TKEBEW Y y W Patented Jan. 26, 1943 ARTICULATTON MEAN S FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Maurice Georges Wintrebert, Gentilly, France; vested inthe Alien Property Custodian Application December 5, 1938, Serial No. 244,063 In France December 4, 1937 (Granted under the provisions of sec. 14, act of March 2, 1927; 357 0. G.

1 Claim.

Heretofore the artificial denture apparatus utilised the following means for maintaining the upper and lower parts of the denture in proper place:

(a) At the upper part, an artificial palate adhering to the natural palate and most frequently provided with an India-rubber washer, called a suction washer, for augmenting and facilitating this adherence;

(b) At the lower part, which, owing to the fact that it was maintained at its locus primarily by its Weight proper, was apt to displace itself or to slip out by an improper movement of the tongue, by a spiral spring bent in U-like shape, the two extremities of which were situated toward the middle portion of the denture, the one extremity at its upper part and the other extremity at its lower part, the curved part of the spring being directed toward the rear part of the mouth. This spiral spring was situated between the artificial teeth and the cheek.

The said suction washers forming cupping pans drew blood and gave rise to .sores and abrasions. The spring was bare and abraded the cheek in the event that it became distorted or broke. Moreover, the artificial palate made difiicult the tasting of food and gave rise to ailments by causing digestive disturbances and disorders principally owing to lack of saliva.

The present invention has for one of its 019- 5 jects to obviate these drawbacks by providing articulation means applicable to all artificial dentures and ensuring the constant application of their portions to the upper and lower jaw during all movements thereof.

One particularity of these means consists in that they mainly comprise 'a removable spring acting in a downward direction between two lateral platens overlapping the extremities of the maxillaries of the denture or the rear teeth of the same, so as to protect the adjacent flesh portions against friction of the spring during its action.

These means integral with the denture obviate the employment of suction washers and of the artificial palate, owing to the fact that the adherence of the denture to the gums, even, if the angle between the maxillaries is at its maximum, is ensured by suitably strong springs guided in their movements.

Another feature of the invention consists in that these means can be provided with projections and links ensuring the stability of the denture in all possible displacements of the jaws. when the two parts of the same are required grant orrica to be strictly dependent on each other, While exactly following the movement of rotation of the condyle of the lower maxillary in the articular meniscus.

Other features and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description and with regard to the drawings appended hereto and in which:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective view one embodiment by which the invention ma be realized;

Fig. 2 shows the application thereof on a denture, illustrated in side elevational view and in closed position;

Fig. 3 is another embodiment, shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of still another embodiment, by which the invention may be carried out;

Fig. '5 shows a side view of a further embodiment provided with double links fitted to a denture;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an embodiment without links, but having guiding sheaths;

Fig. 7 shows on a larger scale a sheath in section;

Figs. 8 to 15 illustrate differently shaped springs employable in the invention.

According to the first embodiment (Fig. 1) of the invention, there are provided two casings I, 2 of unoxidizable or non-corrosive metal or of any other appropriate material, projections 3 extending therefrom for fixing said casings by means of cement into the artificial gums of the denture.

These casings are cut out in a manner to interfit each other accurately when in closed position. They are connected to each other by a spring 4 formed either out of a blade or of a steel wire and shaped to any appropriate form.

The extremities of said spring 4 are fitted in walls 5, 6 provided in the casings, by means of suitably shaped pins 1, 8 riveted into holes of said spring 4. This fitting will vary in accordance with the shape and the kind of spring employed, as will be further referred to. The relative movements of the two casings l and 2 are guided, at one part, by the vertical walls 2' and, at the other part, by links 9 articulated to pivots H), l l riveted to the casings.

The device constituted in this manner is fixed to the rear portion of the denture instead of the last upper and lower molar teeth, each set forming a hoof, engaging respectively one of the maxillaries I2, I 3, as shown in Fig. 2. These last molar teeth can be either totally suppressed frontal direction going on simultaneously with the further lowering movement.

Hence the device permits of all movements of the lower jaw.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the device comprises two casings l and 2 provided with horizontal extensions I, 2' having the same purpose as the vertical extension 2 of Fig. 1.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4,

the device comprises the two casings I and 2, yet these casings are destined to be capable of complete engagement into the maxillaries l2 and I3 of the denture, as shown in Fig. 5.

The casings are united together by the spring 4, the latter being formed out of a fiat spring or of a steel wire spring or of a spring having several spirals or of a spiral spring or of any other suitable form.

The spring is fixed in position either by means of eyelets or by torsion of said spring, for example, to transverse axles I4 maintained by nuts l5 in the casings. These axles are placed in a manner such as to force the spring 4 to occupy a slightly inclined position, the rear part being upwardly directed in order to avoid its touching the lower gum projecting to a larger extent, owing to the crest of the lower maxillary.

The casings l and 2 are further connected by double links 9, 9 articulated to each other, at each side, by an axle I6, preferably by means of a nut 11. They are articulated to the casings by means of bolts I8 with nuts l9.

Nuts l5, l1 and H! are rounded off in crescent shape in order to obtain some play. The links as well as the spring 4 are obliquely placed, the upper link 9' being slightly ahead with regard to the lower link 8 in such manner that, owing to the unequal dimensions, the articulation I6 is situated toward the upper casing I, so as not to touch the lower gum.

Finally, according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 neither extensions nor links are provided, the spring 4 being maintained in sheaths 20 cemented into the maxillaries l2 and I3 of the denture.

These sheaths are provided, as shown in Fig. 7, with small springs 2| serving as arresting means for immobilizing the fiat spring 4 in the sheath, by penetrating an orifice provided for this purpose in the spring 4.

Springs 2| permit instantaneous replacing of spring 4 in case of rupture.

In case of a steel Wire spring, the arresting springs 2| position themselves in eyelets provided by the formation of a spiral in spring 4, this spiral being calculated with regard to its position in a manner to extend up to the border of the sheath.

The sheaths 20 are not parallel. One of them is horizontal and the other oblique with regard to the triturating surface of the teeth. This inclination is variable according to the force of adherence desired to be obtained by the person using the denture and according to the force of the employed spring 4.

The sheaths are of circular or rectangular cross-section according to the spring used and correspond to its shape and dimensions. They can be made without the arresting spring and permit in this manner the sliding of the spring 4 during the frontal movement of the jaw.

Figs. 8 to 10 show flat springs merely cited by way of examples. They can be indifferently used or modified according to their application and, in case of sheaths 20, be plain or perforated according as to whether they are to be fixed or to slide in them. All flat springs utilised with perforations should be reinforced near the perforations so as to preserve an equal resistance.

The springs (Figs. 11 and 12) made of steel wire, are provided with a spiral in case they are to remain fixed, whereas they are straight in case that they are destined to slide.

Fig. 13 shows a flat spring 4 provided with two pins or rivets I and 8 serving for fixation.

Fig. 14 shows the same spring without pins, the extremities of this spring being simply bent. The inner partitions 5 and 6 of the casings provided either with holes or with grooves permitting connection with the said extremities.

Finally, Fig. 15 shows a steel wire spring formed in the manner of the flat spring as shown in Fig. 14 and provided with connecting fingers.

All springs 4 destined to slide in sheaths 20 can have, where they form a piston, a greater section, than in their flexible portion.

What I claim is:

An articulator for artificial dentures comprising two casings, upper and lower respectively, substantially U-shaped springs means having two ends, and anchoring means forming part of said upper and lower casings, respectively, and adapt ed to connect said ends, respectively to the rear part of the maxillaries of said denture and at said upper and lower casings, said anchoring means including holding means fixed to said maxillaries, the end of said spring means engaging said holding means and being fixed in position thereat, one of said holding means being inclined with respect to the other, whereby the curvature of said spring preventing contact of said spring is upwardly directed, thus with the lower gum of the person using said denture.

MAURICE GEORGES WINTREBERT.

- CERTIFICAEI'E- OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2509,0814. January 26, 19h

MAURICE GEORGES WIN'IREBERT.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed speciification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, sec- 0nd column, line 58, strike out the words "preventing contact of said spring" and insert .the .same after -"thus" in line 59, same page and column; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed. and sealedthis 18th day of December, A. D. 1911.5.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) First Assistant Commissio'nermf Patents. 

